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| Name |
Casadevall, Arturo |
| Location
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Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health |
| Primary Field
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Microbial Biology |
| Secondary Field
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Immunology and Inflammation |
 Election Citation
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Casadevall studies how fungi cause disease and antibodies protect, with the major research interest being in the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. |
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Research Interests
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The Casadevall laboratory studies how fungi cause disease and antibodies protect, with the major research interest being in the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans and its interactions with host phagocytic cells. C. neoformans has a remarkable intracellular pathogenic strategy where it survives in a mature phagosome and can subvert cellular functions to promote its exit through a mechanism known as non-lytic exocytosis. This organism is also noteworthy in being the only eukaryotic pathogenic microbe with a large polysaccharide capsule. C. neoformans produces melanin, which is important for virulence. Both the structure of the polysaccharide capsule and the process of melanization are major areas of study. Dr. Casadevall's interests on antibody function were initially focused on how humoral immunity protected against intracellular pathogens, such as C. neoformans. Antibodies to the capsule were shown to have non-classical functions such as mediating direct effects on fungal metabolism and catalytic degradation of the capsule. During the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Casadevall used his knowledge of antibody function to study the efficacy of convalescent plasma and was involved in studies that showed it was effective when used early in the course of disease and with units containing high concentration of virus neutralizing antibodies. |
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